Automobile door latch



.Fuly 7 1953 E. D. DALL AUTOMOBILE DOQR LATCH 4 Sheets-Sheet v1 Filed 001'.. 29, 1949 .mw m

July 7,. 1953 E. D. DALI, 2,644,707

'Y AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH Filed-oci. 29, i949 4 sheets-sheet 2 juy 7, 3.953 l E, D. DALL, 2,644,707'

AHTQMOBLE DOOR LATCH Y nea om. 2e, '1949 4 sheets-sheet s y Isin/s271721 Edad/yd QZ/ Patented July 7, 1953 "STATES PATENT OFFICE Y .1, f 23644707 AUToMoBILE DooR LATCH v klizawiraDgnau, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Houdaille-'Hershey Corporation, Detroit, lMich., a corporationgofMichigan Applieafon-oetober 29, 1949, serial No. 124,355

e claims. (c1. 1292-2161 This invention relates to improvements in automobile door latches of the type which employ a rotary bolt. v v Y One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved door latch having anexception-ally simple and sturdy design, yet possessing numerous functional features and advantages currently desired for use in automobilevdoorV latches.

by the outsideand the inside handle mechanism for releasing of the pawl.

Another object of vthe invention is to provide in combination with the foregoing described ratchet and .pawl mechanism an inside release member which' serves also for locking the pawl against release from the outside.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be mentioned specifically hereinaftenor will become'apparent froma perusal of the following specification in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is described for illustrative purposes.

O n the drawings: I Figure 1 is aside elevation,V partly in section, viewing the latch mechanism of this invention from ktheinsicle surface thereof,V showing the device in unlatched position; Figure Zis a vtop plan view ofnthe same latch mechanism; Figure .3 isa vertical'sectional view broken line III-TUI of Figurel; Figure fi is a vertical sectional view on broken linell IV of Figure @showing thelatch mechanismrinfully latched position; -Figure 5 lis a sectional view on the line V- V of Figure `4; Y f

Figur e 6 is a sectional view taken atthe position of the line V-V of FigreL'but showing the door latch in its locked condition;

Aigure 7is a side elevation, viewing the latc mechanism from the outside or door edge position'and showing the rotary bolt in unlatched position;v

Figure 8 is a side elevation of la keeper preferably employed with the latch mechanism;

`gu r e '9 is a sectional View on the broken line IX-IXof Figure 8; Figure 10 is va-persloective view of Ia spring steel plateaemployed in thelatch; Figure 1'1 is a top plan view of the same plate; Figure 12 isvanedge View of the same plate; Figure 13 isv a side elevation ofthe post on which the steel plate is to be mounted; and Figure 14 is an end view ofthe same post.

shownon the drawings:

on the broken Referring further to the drawings, this door latch is lassembled on a casing plate formed preferably from a single sheet of metal bent to provide what lshall hereinbe termed as two plates, the plate I0 which is mounted at the free edge of the door being termed the rotor plate, while the other portion of the casing, substantially at right angle to the rotor plate, being known as the inside latch plate I I- The countersunk holes I2 shown inthe rotor plate are provided to enable this `casing to be securedto the door ,edge by means of screws.

The rotary bolt, as show-n in Figure 7, is provided with. a striker arm I3 anda latching arm I4, and isl pivotally supported on a post I5, the outer end I6 of which is rivetedover the outside surface of the rotor housing I'I,` the housingbeing secured to the` rotor casing plate in lany suitable manner as, for example, by providing a plurality of projections such as I8 (Figure 1) which extend through apertures in the casing plate and are swaged over on the inside sur-'- face of the casing to hold the housing firmly yin place. Y

The inner end of thev post extends through the rotor plate I0 and furnishes a pivotalsupf port for a ratchet plate I9 which is' connected to the rotary bolt by means of a pin 20 eX"- tending through a curved slot 2| in the rotor plate. The pin 20 is fixed in the latching arm of the rotary bolt` (Figure 4) and, therefore.

causes the bolt ,andthe ratchet plate to :move

in unison." f Akeeperv With whichthisrotary bolt cooperates 'is illustrated in a preferred form in lig ures k8 and 9 and 'is intended to 'be securedto the door postv by means of screws passing through holes such as 22. Integrally formed with the base plate 23 is a lower abutment 24 having an inclined surface 25 upon whichthe rotor'housing slides when the door isfbeing closed. An upper abutment 2G is provided with an outer strike surface 21 and an inner 'latching surface 28. When the door is being closed the striker rarm I3 will contact the strike surface 2l and' as the door further closes the latchingarm I4 of the bolt will rotate up into such a' positionthat if the door tends to open the latch arm will engage the latching surface 28 and prevent the door from opening, provided that the ratchet plate at the time is held against unlatching' movement.

The ratchet plate I9 is provided with a safety notch 2 9 to vbe engaged by the nose 3 0 of the pawl 3| whenthe door is partially closed. When the door is fully closed the nose 3B of the pawl will engage the shoulder 32"on the Aratchet platethereon by the head 39, While the upper end .4Q ;Y

of the spring engages a lateral flange V4|4 on the paWl 3|, which is pivotally supported-on the post 38. As is apparent from thek drawings,the'spring'V therefore serves normally to tend to rotate the rotary bolt to unlatched position and tov apply pressure on the paWl to tend to rotate it in a counter-clockwise direction as it is viewedin Fig"- urel. Hence, as the bolt is rotated toward lockedV position by the keeper during the closingmovement of the door, the spring Will successively .ro-v tate the nose 3D of the pawl 3| first into the notch 29- and later against the latching shoulder 32Y ofthe ratchet plate.

The ange 4| on the pawl'provides a surface against which pressure may be applied fromy the outside of the door for releasing Athe ratchet and pavv'l mechanism. Either a push'button mounted inthe outside Wall of the door may-be employed,

or a pivoted handle'may be mounted in the outside of the door and an inwardly rotating nose, or projeetion,1on it may be caused tofst'rike against the flange M' for the purpose of releasing the pawl. Bushbuttons and rotating handles of the character mentioned are well known in the automobile industry, hence need no description herein;

The innermost end 42 of the paWl extends into a vertical guide slot 43 Which is provided in the casing plate Adjoining theinner end ofthe pawl is a laterally extending flange 44 which is utilized inr connection with means forlocking this laten mehanismieullylrtfhegmme@ The inside release lever for connection With'the inside. door ,handle is, @Corrected and, Operated' as vfollovvs; A bell crank 45 constituting a release lever provided vvith a linger v 46 `vihich, when rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fi'gur' 5, will'strikehthe'tp of the'end por; tion 4 the paWl 3`| and rota-'te the' p'aWY'to dis-f it'froni the ratchet plate' ijf the door be' in e1 er safety latch'e'd' or fully' latchefd position. This" release lv 'TS 'tat'ably 'null'td' lipOl theY cylindrical portion 41 of the post shown in' 13 andre. The' post `extends; through the os'hg plate li 'through hole punched there: through lihih is non-'circular in shape and has straight vvertical margins shapedsmi'gly to engage the riety sides 48 adjoining the limiting shoulders' s'u'c'h as E5 which' are provided onthis' I' A,The extrme 'right 'en'd of the' post, 'as .viewed iri Figure la, is'pi'voteoi over on'etiie out- Vsid' of thrplat, and' thuis' the pbst's held' against rotation and' ai'ii'al 'movement VA thin'squar'e 'shoulder 5t is provided to engage snugly the square yaperture 5| provided in the spring steel plate 52, the iririermo'stj enlargedheeti 53j on the' `release lever po'st serving to' hold the 'spring plate 'snugly against the inside surface of the release lever. Aplu'rali'ty of offset' spring lingers, such 'as 51|',r are provid'edon the spring plate to supply ypressure' against th'e"release'r lever while an in# vi'ar'dly concaved projection 55 on the spring plate is' positioned for engagement With eitheroffth'e 'cooperating depressions 56 and 51 on the release f lever as shown respectively in Figures 5 and 6l Because it is anchored on the square shoulder 5U' of the non-rotatable pivot post 41,v the spring plate 52 cannot rotate, hencevwhenever the lease lever is moved' into normal unlocked Yposition,A as shown in Figure 5, the spring plate will serve tol hold itin thatposition, WhileJif it is roted to the locking posi 'on shotvnin Figure 6, the" spring plate engages"` the depression 56 and Will frictionally hold the release lever in locked position.V

Forrotating the release lever there is provided a remote control link 58 having a slot in its for- Ward-end for engagement with a post 59 lixed on thrrelease lever. A spring 60 presses a washer '6|' against' the' link 58 which prevents rattling of thisl'mechanism.-

AVSinceiiiside handles' connected by a remote control link mechanism to door latches are Well known, the details of construction of such an inside'd'oo'r handle needl not be shown herein-' it may be employed as long as the 'handle' is so oted that it will permit the release lever'and' its spring' plate'sz'to retain the release lever' in looked" position as shown irl-'Figure' 6, or in a neutral sition as shown in Figure 5. Y

A shoulder 52 is providedon the arm 63' f the bell crank and is lso located that when the;I lease lever is rotated from the neutral position shown in Figure v5 to the locked position shown in Figure 6 this shoulder 62 will move in under the ange M which is integral with the paivl 3|. Thus, release'Y Of this latch -lnechanisr'h' by means of the-outside door handle, or outside button,- may be prevented. It is apparent that When-thelatchmechanism is in the locked vpiisitio'nas` shownin Figure 6, the normal operation 'of the* insidev handle to open the door vvill rl'rst'u'rilock the r'nech'# anism and then release the pav'v'l 3| from its liol'dl-v ing engagement with shoulder 32 of thev ratchet plate I9. Y l

While all of the doors o'n an automotive i'zehi'cle'v may be provided with a keyecontrolled lock if desired, one of them at least shouldvfbe,"and"fo`l" that purpose I provide akey-controlled looking` member 64 formed with a pivot b'o's's' 65 rotatably engaged With the latch casing plate ||,a's illustrated in Figure l, thus to pivotally' supportY this locking member on the casingi' An aperture 66' is provided in the boss'to b'e' engaged by the shank of a keyfcontrolled'lock,-'thich may be' oi any Suitable constructnyS'uch-as are Well' in the automobile industry. 'A I It isra'p'parent, therefore, that; by' means'of a key operatedl from theY outside', the locking pla't 64 'may be rotated couhterlclo'ckwise 'as 'vi Wed in Figure 5, causir'igt Ae arm-61 to engage the arm 63 on the ins/ide release l'e:"'er and rotate that lever intoth locked psit-ionas shown in YFigure 6. After the latch mechan ,e A isflockedfeldck# Wise rotation of the lever by unlock' the release lever, ,It is apparent also key or the inside handle.

` means of the insidevhandle 'vvill serve' to; mov

When the latch mechanism is in locked po on the operation of the insiiije-y handle :to uriletehthe door will not only more the release lev'erfoiit'of ioelred position, but will also restore the ieli'iiig plate 64 toits unlocked` position.

Likewise, looking of -'the 1ste-'h nieeheis" look plete' 61 into itsI looked 'position'.` 'When inside handle moves the insidf 'a-s l intov locked position, 'the-arm E3 'o' the lever will press aganfst'the arm' '68' (iin-th loclii plate arid carry the'- lockirig plate into locketlip'osition. 'I'herea'fter,` reverse movement or the1ooking plate can be obtained Yeither b'y means of a By' comparing :thepositidn' of thev flange 44 as shown in Figure l Withits positonas in Figures 4 and 5, it will be perceived that the shoulder 62 of the inside release lever can be moved under flange 44 only when the rotary bolt is in fully latched position, which means that the door must be closed Ito that position.

The embodiment herein described is simple in design, rugged in construction, and economical to manufacture, and is herein shown in its preferred form. However, it should be understood Y that the invention is `susceptible of some variation and that modifications and variations mat7 be effected therein without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:l

l. In a door latch mechanism, a latch casing plate, a rockable latch bolt on the outside of said plate having two angularly disposed arms for successive cooperation with va keeper, one of vwhich is biased into a generally upright position when the door is opened and the other of which is moved into a generally upright position by engagement of said one'arm with a keeper when the door is closed, a ratchet plate on the inside of said casing plate mounted for rocking movement with said latch bolt about an axis coaxial with the axis of rocking movement of said latch bolt, a pawl member pivotally mounted on said casing plate for cooperation with said ratchet plate, said ratchet plate having two spaced detent shoulders, one of Which forms a safety latch shoulder when engaged with said pawl member upon partial closing of the door and the other of which holds the door in a fully closed position when engaged with said pawl member, said pawl member also having an arm extending from its pivotal axis in a direction opposite from said ratchet plate for engagement with an outside operator to release the latch, and a common spring having engagement with said pawl member and said latch bolt and biasing said pawl member into engagement with said ratchet plate and also biasing said latch bolt with said one arm thereof in an upright position, said one arm pivoting said ratchet plate against said spring upon engage-.- ment with a keeper and moving said ratchet plate into position to be progressively engaged by said pawl on said detent `shoulders during door closing movement and to be positively held in engagement therewith by said spring acting on said latch bolt, and said spring also acting on saidV latch bolt in a direction to maintain said latch -bolt in engagement with the keeper and to take up on the latch.

2. In a door latch mechanism, a latch casing plate, a pin rotatably mounted on said plate and extending therethrough, a rockable latch bolt mounted on the outside of said pin for movement therewith, said latch bolt having two angularly disposed arms for successive engagement with a keeper upon door closing movement, a ratchet plate secured to said pin on the inside of said casing plate for rotation with said latch bolt, an arcuate slot formed in said latch plate in communication with said latch bolt, a pin on one arm of said latch bolt and extending therefrom through said slot to the inside of said latch plate, said ratchet plate having two spaced detent shoulders, one of which aiords a safety latch when engaged by said pawl and the door is partially closed, and the other of which positively restrains said latch from moving in adoor .Opening direction when engaged by said pawl and the door is fully closed, said pawl also having an arm extending from its pivotal axis for engagement with an outside operator to release said pawl from said ratchet plate, and a common torsion spring mounted intermediate its ends on said casing plate and having engagement with said pawl at one of its ends and biasing said pawl into engagement with said ratchet plate, and also having engagement with said pin on said latch bolt at its opposite end, and biasing said pin into engagement with one extremity of said slot and the arm of saidlatch bolt spaced from said arm having said pin thereon in an upright position, to rotate said ratchet plate against said spring into position to be positively engaged by said pawl on said detentl shoulders during door closing movement and u-pon engagement of said last mentioned upright arm with the keeper.

3. In a door latch mechanism, a latch casing plate, a pin rotatably mounted on said plate and extending therethrough, a rockable latchvbolt secured to said pin on the outside of said latch casing plate having two angularly disposed arms for successive cooperation with a keeper, one of which is biased in a generally upright position when the door is open and the other of whichis moved into a generally upright position by engagement of said one arm with a keeper when the door is closed, a ratchet plate secured tok said pin on the inside of said casing plate for movement with said latch bolt and having detent means thereon, a second pin on said casing plate spaced from said rst pin, a pawl member pivotally mounted on said second pin for engagement with said ratchet plate, and having a nose spaced from said pin in one direction and adapted to selectively engage said detent means on said .ratchet plate, said pawl member having an arm extending from said pin in an opposite direction from said nose for engagement with an outside operator to release said nose from said ratchet plate, an arcuate slot in said latch casing plate communicating with said latch bolt and ratchet plate, a pin extending through said slot and mounted on said other arm of said latch bolt, and a common torsion spring mounted on said second pin and engageable with said arm of said pawl member at one end and with said last mentioned pin at the other end, and biasing said latch bolt with said one arm in an upright position when the door is open and maintaining said other arm in engagement with the keeper'when the door is closed and to take up on the latch, and also biasing said nose and ratchet plate into engagement with each other.

EDWARD D. DALL. Y

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,738,338 Wells Dec. 3,1929 2,034,363 Wells Mar. 17, 1936 2,198,548 Marple Apr. 23, 1940 2,480,688 Allen Aug. 30, 1949 2,499,111 Roethel Feb. 28, 1950 2,552,815 Roethel May 15, 1951 2,557,468 Roethel June 19, 1951 2,569,047 Endter Sept. 25, 1951 

